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When I was much younger, starting from teenager, I was overly upset with becoming a kind person. Simply because kind people usually get disadvantages, in the meanwhile, mean people keep living well on other kind people’s sacrifice. I had, from my own life experiences, tough hard lessons of practicing kindness for years, which ended not so well so I just kept doubting about the true value of kindness in human and society. There were times I just wanted to give up this useless practice; however, I never really did. Growing up with the loss and pain of the journey of becoming a good person, I realize that kind people get one thing in common that is really precious and worth trying. That is that they must be really rich !! To keep them kind, they have paid so much in time and effort, as a price (much more than any average people, not even needed to compare to mean or soulless people), in order to do things better in a kind way, from thoughts to actions. They are not forced by any social standard or constrained circumstances, but only by their heart and they do it unconditionally (and yeah, I’m talking about the true form of kindness from its absolute integrity).   Kindness can come from wishes, ambitions or habits. For whatever reason it is, kind people not only make life lovable but also inspire other people to do nice things, like them and more. Kind acts must require a lot of effort in every possible resource consumption such as thoughts, time and energy, etc. and yet, kind people tend to do more than just that, with or without their intention. They give inspirations to others. If kind people were not prosperous, how could they start to give away? They are rich in emotions and charity. I want to be rich like them, so I just need to keep following that way. My heart in the eye of the storm of soulless people. Fall 2025. Figure: On the edge of imbalance. -- About My Daily Stories (MDS): a mini series of posts telling the life stories that I experience, often related to the moral aspect and I want to dedicate a place to honor nice gestures and kindness in life. A pretty flower can make a bright new day for one or more people in this crazy world. No one can teach anyone else about morality, but we always have the choice to be as kind as possible. I will also narrate in 3 languages to have multicultural perspectives because this is the environment I live in (a Vietnamese living in France loving to speak English 😁).

Like many others, the more I watch reality shows, the less big fan I become. Simply because of the similarity of repetitive content and the lack of quality over quantity, especially on love theme. However, I always give a chance (limited though) for everything to happen on its first try. I often tell myself that I would give it a try on the first episode, and if it isn’t good, I can stop watching at any moment, and there is nothing much to lose. Lately I watched Temptation island – season 9, and it’s worth my tears for it, in the end. Not only it touched my deep inner emotions, but also I see myself in the players’ journey, a growth as a person in love. After watching all 10 episodes,  I found a growth for myself just like theirs throughout experiences in the show. The interest in writing this is that, probably you will see the same if you watch it. The show is really well done in the way that is balanced. With or without the intention of the production team, the audience can find the similarity of their love stories in the show story, and even more, life lessons. The casting team of 4 on-date couples is various enough in origins (Asian, European, African and American). There are 24 tempters and temptresses, and 16 of them, who stay till the last episodes, do not only do their challenger role but also supportive roles in the growth journey of the players. This is well done that we tend to think and expect all the drama and negative impacts from these tempters and temptresses, which is necessary for the show and rating, but in fact, the production team did such a good job on the casting selection and show organisation that embraces the personal growth, emotionally and mentally, of the players rather than discouraging or destroying them (like I was worried that whether the 4 couples as players they really understand what they want to do and what they expect to do in the show to avoid being the victim of the show bussiness). And again, each couple’s story contributes to the completeness of the show story. We see that men tend to cheat more easily than women, and we also see how differently each gender reacts on this scenario. There are mistakes that should be forgiven to keep growing together. There are also mistakes that shouldn’t be fixed but should be a turning point for both people to find their happiness elsewhere, without each other, no matter who hurts who. Not forget to mention that there is also a couple whose love is strong enough (not just that but it’s vital as the matter of fact) so that they can overcome the temptation and even end up moving to the next stage of happiness together, an engagement and a marriage. I like the open mindset here: marriage is not the final destination of happiness but it is a life stage worth achievement and celebration. Similar to separation, it’s not the end of the world full of sadness and hurts, but an end of a happy-at-that-time journey that opens up another new journey for both to move on and continue to pursue his or her own happiness, despite not a mutual journey anymore.   I like the open mindset here: marriage is not the final destination of happiness but it is a life stage worth achievement and celebration. Similar to separation, it’s not the end of the world full of sadness and hurts, but an end of a happy-at-that-time journey that opens up another new journey for both to move on and continue to pursue his or her own happiness, despite not a mutual journey anymore.   I also appreciate the host role by Mark L. Walberg. He did such a good job, not only with the given title but also with a heart. He is professional enough to be a good listener between the lovers. No judgement is essential in this context, and even more, he opens up ideas and deeper thoughts in making conversations with the couples so that they think for themselves the solutions and what to do next, for their own sakes. He is also kind hearted enough to interfere further when a player is put in a harsh overwhelming situation that he or she starts to lose his or her rational mind in a negative way, which, with or without the touch of the production team, is natural and realistic, yet the way that all the people involved in and react is beautifully done with human affection. Till this point, the show is no longer just an entertainment show. It brings added value to the society and its audience. This is the example of a show creation that could last forever. At last, I want to give a shoutout to the cultural element that plays an important role in how we behave and process the love matter. Individualism and collectivism, each of them has pros and cons, as nothing is absolutely perfect. The subtle art of balancing them two in life would certainly lead us to a happy and peaceful mind in every possible life situation. -- About My Daily Stories (MDS): a mini series of posts telling the life stories that I experience, often related to the moral aspect and I want to dedicate a place to honor nice gestures and kindness in life. A pretty flower can make a bright new day for one or more people in this crazy world. No one can teach anyone else about morality, but we always have the choice to be as kind as possible. I will also narrate in 3 languages to have multicultural perspectives because this is the environment I live in (a Vietnamese living in France loving to speak English 😁).

These last months of the year have an atmosphere different from the others. This is the time for workload wrapping before the holidays, planning for travels and visits during the days-off, preparation for the next year, so on. Among those, there is always a nostalgic moment that comes to us, all of a sudden. Meaning, we tend to think about what has happened in the year, what we did, what’s been gained and lost. This is also a valuable time to look back at ourselves and think deeply. This year, I have thoughts for my French learning journey. During almost 10 years living in France, there are not only happiness but also sorrows, ups and downs, and anything in between. In this writing, I’ll talk more about self transformation in learning the language that helps me live better, rather possitively. Merry bloody Christmas Everyone ! :))) From simple and basic words Going back to when it first started, I took 2 basic French courses in Vietnam before moving to France for my master study. My English was already good enough to give me a reassuring confidence to communicate with the world, or at least not to get lost or to put myself in unknown, risky situations. My intention is to take the same habit that I have had and practiced in Vietnamese, that is the use of 3 basic words: Bonjour (Hello), Merci (Thank you) and Désolé (Sorry). The noble thought I had in mind was to keep myself being as much polite as possible in French conversations because even if I behave badly in an unconscious way, people will forgive me more easily. The same idea goes to whether I make mistakes and acknowledge it with a ‘sorry’, consequences will be less serious. Saying “Thank you” will simply help me get rid of moody people!!.. Well okay, just kidding, that was not noble at all, but you get the idea. In daily formal conversations, these 3 words are basically used in almost every culture, no matter how different people are. I told myself, knowing that I couldn’t speak fluently and correctly French from the start, that taking the initiative of using these words would be very helpful. Despite all well-thought preparations I make in advance, surprises always find their ways to show up and teach me lessons with the least expected cost. During the early time staying in France in 2016, in Paris more precisely, there was a moment that I got lost in a transit subway station where I was overwhelmed by the sophistication of connection networks, the underground navigation and the significant flow of people. I was quite panic as I couldn’t even find a way out to the surface. In such situation, help is urgently needed. Therefore, I quickly grabbed someone nearby (usually staff members of the place) and asked for directions directly. A security man is whom I met, and he turned towards me with a neutral face, insisting on saying only one word: “Bonjour ! BONJOUR !” (Hello ! I said HELLO !!). I quickly got the message. I should have been calm and started with a “Bonjour” (a French salutation word) first, before anything else. Fortunately, the cost was nothing, but the lesson was seriously taken. For the whole good 8 years of living in France that follows, only the French (some) forget to greet me with a Bonjour, not me in any circumstances. For the whole good 8 years of living in France that follows, only the French (some) forget to greet me with a Bonjour, not me in any circumstances. That is the formality standard in France. Yet, in Vietnam the case is quite identical, I notice. Probably, the fact that I’m used to dealing with the birthplace and the native tongue makes me pay less attention to the situation where the formality is not respected. For your info, my name in Vietnamese means “Politeness of most concern”. It would be ironic for me to lead a life that is in contrast to the meaning of my given name, isn’t it? Or, imagine if I am in a life-threaten situation and make an emergency call to 911, I will still begin with a “hello” at the pickup before yelling for help. Well, rather a joke for this cultural thing. In short, it’s true that one way or another, the formality should be established between strangers, and that in the shifting process between cultures, getting to know and practicing cultural ways of doing are the key to prevent misunderstandings. To connecting to people’s heart, including mine Until yesterday, after a trip to a pharmacy, I realize the difference I can make in communication with the locals after years of learning French with the learning approach mentioned above. When the purchase was done and I was about to leave, as usual I said “Merci et Bonne journée !” (Thank you and have a good day !). What caught my attention is a returning wish that was really sincere, “Bonne journée à vous aussi !” (Good day to you, too !), from the pharmacist, together with a bright smile on her face, which is not common to see among the French or in French society. From her sweet intonation to candid facial expression, I felt all the sincerity that warmed my heart, like it comes from an old friend. This nice ending is the result of what we exchanged earlier. I reminded her of my expired health insurance card and presented my digital one which is up-to-date. She then requested me to send it to the pharmacy’s email. I did that on my phone instantly yet she didn’t get it. Then, she pointed out that mobile signals here were usually weak that I should make sure my mail would be sent successfully. I tried to take my phone outside for a better signal reception and everything went smoothly after. The problem is unexpected and is solved thanks to the effort of both sides, no matter from which reason the problem comes or from whom it is. I was thankful for her accurate, efficient and kind help. The moment I said thank you, I wasn’t thinking much. Not until when I came back home, I thought about what happened there and the implied message from it. Lately, I realize that I have made a transformation in learning French. I didn’t notice that I now can speak it fluently at ease without worrying much about misunderstandings or vocabulary constraints, despite my unavoidable Vietnamese accent influence, occasional pronunciation and grammar mistakes. Above all, I no longer carry a burden stress in every word I say that would also significantly stress out the person with whom I speak. This concern was one of the problems I faced as a new learner. It happened in Paris when I wanted to ask about rent invoice whose listing details were not clearly presented for me to understand. A residence staff, to whom I spoke with, misunderstood that I accused him of stealing or a scam, and he promptly turned to be upset and angry with me, in the meanwhile, on my side I didn’t even know what was happening and the reason why he reacted that way. Later on, when I came back home, I guessed my lack of natural way of speaking could be the reason. Or, simply because he had had a bad day and dealing with my question was just the last straw.   .. the word “merci” has connected to my heart to express the candid gratitude, in the same way that I have done with “cảm ơn” in Vietnamese, and “thank you” in English. Not all time we are up for 100% sincerity, but once it is the case, the word “merci” has connected to my heart to express the candid gratitude, in the same way that I have done with “cảm ơn” in Vietnamese, and “thank you” in English. I have learned the way to use the sincerity on different circumstances depending on the time, the place and the person. In general, I put the sincerity at the foundation, with kindness as a guiding star, because we would never know what the person we speak with has been through until the moment we meet up. It’s better to start with kindness, even though not easy and convenient to do every time, so that we can avoid any unfavorable escalation. In the long run, who knows what we can get in return for being nice at first !? Take my story as an example. The mother of my partner had a good impression on me despite the fact that I could barely make thorough conversations with her during Christmastime at her place. She said to me that she likes my natural straightforward behaviors and that I do greet and show my caring attention, with simple words “Bonjour” and “Comment vas-tu?” to her every morning we see each other in the house. Again, despite the language barrier that restrains us from getting closer with deeper sharing, she would willingly give me her patience and forgiveness to arrange all other difficulties, from the simplest things like different eating habits to her family conflicts relating to a new member. Not until the third language, I begin to look back at how I properly use my mother tongue, Vietnamese. Apart from new personality, new experiences, etc. that I venture with foreign languages, there is also a unique opportunity for me to appreciate and reserve Vietnamese. I even fall in love with my mother tongue again. This is still true to the French when I show them the observations that I have as a foreigner, whose perspective is largely different from theirs. French is a beautiful language, but it doesn’t mean other languages are not as beautiful. There are a lot of complaints the French make every day, yet they often forget to appreciate what they currently have as the results of years of fighting and revolutions. Briefly, what is exchanged in multi-culture context is a better attitude when we deal with problems that seem to be stuck or hopeless. Life perspectives become wider. -- About My daily stories : a mini series of posts telling the life stories that I experience, often related to the moral aspect and I want to dedicate a place to honor nice gestures and kindness in life. A pretty flower can make a bright new day for one or more people in this crazy world. No one can teach anyone else about morality, but we always have the choice to be as kind as possible. I will also narrate in 3 languages (Vietnamese, English and French) to have multicultural perspectives because this is the environment I live in (a Vietnamese living in France loving to speak English 😁).

[Verse] No matter how much I’ve said, it doesn't mean a thing No matter how much I’ve cried, nothing would change except my heavier tears The more I  hold on, the more my heart hurts Because so far, I still keep the love for you   Who knows what tomorrow will be like For now, I know that we can no longer hold each other's hands How long does it take to forget each other's name? Will we later blame each other? [Chorus] It's so difficult to find each other, why are you now letting go? It's so difficult to meet each other, why are you leaving without looking back? Why can't we work things out, when we are still in love? Why do we let out harsh words, why do we make teardrops fall? No matter how hard it was to meet each other, now we have only few words leftOne person silently turned her head away, the other looked at her with regretsOne sky for two worlds, in an afternoon, broken in halves Please bury our love in the past, in a far away land [Bridge] Who knows what tomorrow will be like For now, I know that we can no longer hold each other's hands How long does it take to forget each other's name? Will we later blame each other?   [Chorus] It's so difficult to find each other, why are you now letting go? It's so difficult to meet each other, why are you leaving without looking back? Why can't we work things out, when we are still in love? Why do we let out harsh words, why do we make teardrops fall? No matter how hard it was to meet each other, now we have only few words leftOne person silently turned her head away, the other looked at her with regretsOne sky for two worlds, in an afternoon, broken in halves Please bury our love in the past, in a far away land   [Repeat 1 more time Chorus]   Please bury our love in the past, in a far away land    Note: In the original lyrics, no pronoun is used, so the role of the person who tells the story is hidden and implicit. However, according to the story context and the way it is told, we can certainly assume that the author (or the original signer) talks to himself about his lover that walks away. Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mzl4qscnHns

These days I have a really high motivation in revising probability and statistics, and it’s surely not a coincidence! I had a chance to play a board game named Minivilles (French version of an orginal Japanese game whose name is 街 コ ロ - Machi Koro, translated as “The City of Dice”). This is a strategic game whose progress is strongly dependent on chance (in daily life terms, luck). The gameplay is simple, yet interesting and probably addictive, especially for those who are into this kind of playing. To sum up, a player rolls a dice to earn coins and builds construction cards, whose number is marked from 1 to 12. The goal is to earn coins as fast and as much as he can to be the first one who finishes building the final 4 landmark cards. It sounds like monopoly game at this point, isn’t it? In the following paragraphs I’ll explain in details for you to see how mathematically interesting the game is and the application of mathematics in life, as well as how real life problems inspire us to study and develop mathematical solution. Figure 1: A glance at various cards in the game. The yellow cards with a towering symbol and without a number along their name are called landmarks, while the rest are construction cards, numbered from 1 to 12, and are used to earn coins. The game has some other rules and twists from the special effects of cards, yet in this writing, only the math aspect is mainly discussed, which inspired me to try the game and share with you my experience. As mentioned above, each card is marked with a number from 1 to 12, corresponding to the results of rolling 1 or 2 six-sided dice. There are also cards with 2 consecutive numbers, see Figure 1. My first impression was that these double-number cards are the most powerful cards because they have a higher chance to hit, logically. After several matches, I noticed an interesting point of math-related links in this game. Starting with a dice of 6 sides, the probability (chance) to get a certain number, from 1 to 6, is 1/6 (~17%), and the double-number cards double this probability to ~34% because the occurrence is two times higher (2/6). The game would be too easy at this point. Moving to 2 dice, the game brings the strategic playing to the next level. The probability of getting a certain number from 2 to 12 would be identically calculated as the case of rolling 1 dice, only if the dice has 12 sides, which is not a common case and definitely not the kind of dice that is used in this game. Since there are 2 six-side dices that give a total of 36 possibilities of additionally forming 11 different numbers (number 1 can’t be reached with 2 dice), the chance to get a certain number is not the same as others. Let’s take a look at the Figure 2 to see all 36 possible combinations in a better view (thankfully the possibility set is still relatively small for visual listing, otherwise we would need a formula or even an advanced math model to cope up with the size). Figure 2: 36 possible combinations of rolling 2 six-side dices. The probability of getting a certain number, from 2 to 12, is not equal between numbers. Number 2 (each dice gives 1) or 12 (each dice gives 6) have 1 possibility over 36 so the probability is 1/36 (~3%), the lowest in the set. Number 7, in the other hand, has 6 possibilities ([1+6], [2+5], [3+4], [4+3], [5+2], [6+1]) that lead to the probability of 6/36 (~17%), the highest in the set. Following this basic calculation, cards with 2 numbers still always give higher chances, yet not anymore 2 times of increment. The probability of these 2-number cards is simply the addition of probability of each number. For example, card [9-10] has 4 possibilities for number 9 and 3 possibilities for number 10, so its total probability is 7/36 (~19%). Similarly, the card [2-3] has the probability of 3/36 (~8%). Another interesting observation is that the probability starts to decrease in numbers that go away from 7 (like the symmetric property of a matrix), with a constant step of 1/36 (~3%). Refer Figure 3 for the probability of all numbers. Figure 3: The probability of all outcome numbers with 2-dice rolling. Are you still with me? That’s all for the calculation. The best strategy I learned from the game Minivilles is that I should aim the number that gives the most chance to earn coins, either card with number 7 or double-number. Yet, the game is quite balanced due to coin distribution and special effects. The card with the highest chance is not the card that earns the most coin, and with combo stack effect on lower chance cards, almost every card has its own power to help you earn sufficiently coins and win the game. Also, the game is well done in the way that dice choice would change the strategy and the progress of the game, which also can make a twist and inverse the leading/the lowest player situation. All of this would challenge each player’s strategy and force them to adapt his/her planning to the progress of the game among other players. As you can see, understanding the game rules helps you win easier. Do you notice what number 7 has the highest chance? It’s reasonable to call it a lucky number thanks to its probability property. I also use this property in Monopoly. Whenever I see someone about to land on my property in 7 steps, I would build more houses and hotels on that property to make use of the chance of collecting more money in a go. The more money I can collect, the more likely I win sooner or earlier. Before applying this strategy, I played this game with an innocent mind and a pure joy. I still keep that in mind, yet with a good statistical strategy which plays an important part in this kind of game, I can also win more often not just because of luck, or in other words, I choose higher winning probability in every move I make. Each game has its own rules and best way to play, so by studying well how it works and using a suitable set of moves, we can be the master of the game and make dice game less likely a purely lucky game. Back in the time when I was in high school, I didn’t have much inspiration to learn a subject, particularly math. It was much more like an obligation that I need to try and pass the examinations, year after year. I wish that I could have my current mindset to study better at school. It’s still ok though, I did quite well at school and I didn’t miss too much. Above all, learning is the progress of a lifetime. I would continue to learn and make myself a better version every day. Hope this writing inspires you to pay more attention to maths in particular and to whatever you learn in general. “Invest in yourself. It’s the best investment you can make,” one says. Whatever you learn will be useful in one way or another. “Stay hungry, stay foolish!” – Steve Jobs. About My Daily Stories (MDS): A mini series of posts telling the life stories that I experience, often related to the moral aspect and I want to dedicate a place to honor nice gestures and kindness in life. A pretty flower can make a bright new day for one or more people in this crazy world. No one can teach anyone else about morality, but we always have the choice to be as kind as possible. I will also narrate in 3 languages to have multicultural perspectives because this is the environment I live in (a Vietnamese living in France loving to speak English 😁).

This time, the story is related to my photography journey. Recently I received feedback from a stranger with whom I’ve never worked; however, after looking at my portfolio page, where the photos I took were publicly published, he said a thing that I almost forget that it was the reason I started taking portraits of people. I said "almost" because I have already had an idea to shoot before getting started; however, life does not always give me favorable conditions to wholeheartedly pursue it. There were times I was uninspired and demotivated. Ups and downs on the way, but so far, they turns out to be the only way to prove the existence of a matter, that either an ideal that someone carries is not suitable for him and should be better given up, or a training process that makes him stronger and see more clearly that the chosen path is the right one; he should continue even if there will be more downs than ups, after all it still gives him trust and a reliable vision to keep going the path that he belongs and feels good about. Certain achievements definitely awaits him to be claimed and it will be worth working hard to the very end. The stranger commented like this (in summary of main ideas): "I like the natural look of the models in your photos. Although most of them are not perfect, they look very beautiful through your lens." That's what I usually tell myself when taking portraits of anyone. The perception of beauty is very subjective, but I know I have an aesthetic eye, through observation and experience, to judge at which level something is considered beautiful, according to average and minimum measures. In addition, after analyzing the average & minimum criteria, I also have to train myself to evaluate beauty more objectively, following a scientific method, not purely based on the emotional feelings of an artist with a big ego. A photo of a bloody corpse on a battlefield will make many people feel disgusted above everything, but it can still be beautiful if it shows the courage of a reporter working in a chaotic and risky environment, or when it shows the authenticity of photojournalism and real stories of interest. Science is like that, there is no room for emotions, but it must be boring to live only with. That’s why, all fields and human activities are naturally in harmony with each other to create a colorful whole of life. Therefore, it's important for everything to be used at the right time and in the right place. That's the art of living, if you want to live the fullest yet balanced life (mostly pursued in asian culture). “I also have to train myself to evaluate beauty more objectively, following a scientific method, not purely based on the emotional feelings of an artist with a big ego.” In the context of working on people, assessing the subject's beauty is much more complicated, but when you know how to explore and present it, the photo will be sufficiantly beautiful and even more. Simply because nobody is perfect, and I believe that everyone possibly has a good interesting side for others to look at and appreciate. If something is not of shooting interest, we simply don't have to expose it. Beauty perception also works this way in photography creation. Portrait photography requires not only a study on the subject and finding a way to tell it through visual language, but also a capacity of respecting differences and keeping an open mind to accept new things, especially important at the early journey of portrait photographer. It's common sense that everyone has a certain personal interest and focuses more attention and energy on it. No wonder a photographer only wants to photograph a certain group of people they like, classified by skin color, gender, body shape, etc. In the end, it comes from the freedom of personal choice in creativity and the nature of doing what turns them on and what they do best. I also have my own interests, but once I decided to open up more my outlook on life, I no longer allowed myself to stay shooting in my safe zone, which is the group of people whose characteristics I like. Turns out, this is also a form of learning method that helps me explore the world. To explore, people can read stories that happen to people in a far away land, or can watch movies depicting the life and activities of a nation, a tribe, etc. As for me, thanks to portrait photography, I have been able to meet and discover the diverse beauty of people from many different cultures, regions, and backgrounds. Also, their stories come along as we talk and interact with each other. Some of my work I still remember my early time of shooting. My thinking was somewhat vague, plus I received words that had the power to destroy dreams, and sadly they all came from people close to me. There was my mom who said: "Nowadays everyone has a phone to take pictures. What difference does it make if you do so on behalf of others?!". There was also my ex-lover who said: "I don't see why you keep taking photos of those people who come (to our house whose living room is my photo studio). I don’t find them beautiful or attractive. Do you?” At that time, I could only give an unpleasant smile back as a reaction since I couldn’t prove anything. A proof, even an ejection, hadn’t come yet. Luckily, I have the character of not giving up easily, especially at that time I hadn't been very involved in the shooting career, and I hadn't tasted failure or glory yet so for no reason that I would be demotivated. Quite well it turned out, that those harsh questions became my companion on the growing path. They reminds me that I have to take photos that are different from what other people do, that are at least more beautiful. I also have to have my own shooting style, and I have to have a unique creativity with a strong personal signature. This is the moment when my artistic personality started to develop. For the second part of selecting model types, the sudden but heartwarming comment from 'the stranger' is a perfect example. That is a very objective recognition, and that proves that the ideology "Be beautiful in your own way" that I cherish brings positive results ​​and inspiration for others. Who doesn't want their path to go smoothly? If I only choose outstanding beauties and well trained models, would I have many beautiful photos, lots of supports, and great success coming soon?! I do like this way, unfortunately I already have a different ideal, so I have to be responsible for it. Not only portraits, I take many different types of photos and I am always captivated by the beauty of each subject. One of the advantages that I continue to shoot is that I know what and how I want to do and to learn. This foundation has helped me focus on achieving goals and building a nice photography world for myself. Dare to do, dare to be different, dare to succeed!

Song: Grow as we go Songwriters: Alex Hope, Ben Abraham, Ben Platt Original singer: Ben Platt Beat: Piano Karaoke -- You can see my translation work on lyricstranslate.com for a better comparison interface. https://lyricstranslate.com/en/ben-platt-grow-we-go-french -- [en] My first song whose lyrics are translated into 2 other languages. [Verse 1] You say there's so much you don't know You need to go and find yourself You say you'd rather be alone 'Cause you think you won't find it tied to someone else Ooh, who said it's true That the growing only happens on your own? They don't know me and you [Chorus] I don't think you have to leave If to change is what you need You can change right next to me When you're high, I'll take the lows You can ebb and I can flow And we'll take it slow And grow as we go Grow as we go [Verse 2] You won't be the only one I am unfinished, I've got so much left to learn I don't know how this river runs But I'd like the company through every twist and turn Ooh, who said it's true That the growing only happens on your own? They don't know me and you [Chorus] You don't ever have to leave If to change is what you need You can change right next to me When you're high, I'll take the lows You can ebb and I can flow And we'll take it slow And grow as we go Grow as we go Grow as we go Grow as we go I don't know who we'll become I can't promise it's not written in the stars But I believe that when it's done We're gonna see that it was better That we grew up together [Chorus] Tell me you don't wanna leave 'Cause if change is what you need You can change right next to me When you're high, I'll take the lows You can ebb and I can flow We'll take it slow And grow as we go Grow as we go Grow as we go Grow as we go [fr] Pour la première fois, je traduis la chanson que je chante en 2 langues en plus. [Verse 1] Tu dis qu’il y a tant de choses que tu ne comprends pas Que tu devrais partir pour te connaître mieux Tu dis que tu préfères être seul Car tu penses que personne ne peut t’aider Oh, qui ose dire Que la maturité ne se fait que par soi-même ? Ils ne nous connaissent pas [Chorus] Je ne pense pas que tu doives partir Si un changement est ce que tu cherches Tu peux changer juste à côté de moi Malgré des hauts et des bas Quand tu recules, j’avance vers toi On y va doucement Et on grandit ensemble, au fur et à mesure des années On grandit ensemble [Verse 2] Tu ne seras pas seul Je ne suis pas parfait, j’ai encore besoin d’apprendre Je ne sais pas où la vie nous mène Mais je sais bien que j’aime avoir ta compagnie au long du chemin Oh, qui ose dire Que la croissance ne se fait que par soi-même ? Ils ne nous connaissent pas [Chorus] Tu n’as jamais besoin de partir Si un changement est ce que tu cherches Tu peux changer juste à côté de moi Malgré des hauts et des bas Quand tu recules, j’avance vers toi On y va doucement Et on grandit ensemble, au fur et à mesure des années On grandit ensemble On grandit ensemble On grandit ensemble Je ne sais pas qui on deviendra Je ne peux pas te promettre, le destin n'est pas écrit dans les étoiles Mais je crois que quand on y arrivera On va voir que c’était mieux D’avoir grandi ensemble [Chorus] Dis-le moi, que tu ne veux plus partir Car si un changement est ce que tu cherches Tu peux changer juste à côté de moi Malgré des hauts et des bas Quand tu recules, j’avance vers toi On y va doucement Et on grandit ensemble, au fur et à mesure des années On grandit ensemble On grandit ensemble On grandit ensemble [vi] Vì quá yêu ý niệm của bài hát nên lần đầu tiên tui bắt đầu dịch lời bài hát sang 3 thứ tiếng để chiêm nghiệm trong nhiều góc nhìn văn hóa khác nhau. [Verse 1] Em từng nói là em còn chưa rõ nhiều điều Rằng em phải đi tìm hiểu thêm bản thân mình Em nói em thà đơn thân độc mã Vì em nghĩ không một ai khác có thể giúp được Ồ, ai dám phán rằng, Sự trưởng thành chỉ có thể tự thân vận động mà đạt được? Hãy nhìn chúng ta mà xem, đâu cần phải thế. [Chorus] Anh nghĩ em không cần phải ra đi Nếu đổi thay là điều em cần Em có thể thay đổi ngay bên cạnh anh Em cứ tươi vui, nỗi buồn anh sẽ giữ lấy Còn khi em lùi bước thì anh sẽ tiến lên Chúng ta sẽ làm từ tốn, nhịp nhàng Và trưởng thành cùng nhau Trưởng thành cùng nhau, em ơi. [Verse 2] Em không đơn độc đâu Anh cũng không hoàn hảo, còn nhiều điều phải học hỏi Anh không biết liệu dòng đời sẽ đưa ta đi về đâu Nhưng anh mong có em đồng hành qua mỗi khúc cong, chỗ rẽ Ồ, ai dám phán rằng, Sự trưởng thành chỉ có thể tự thân vận động mà đạt được? Hãy nhìn chúng ta mà xem, đâu cần phải thế. [Chorus] Anh nghĩ em không cần phải ra đi đâu Nếu đổi thay là điều em cần Em vẫn có thể thay đổi ngay bên cạnh anh Em cứ tươi vui, nỗi buồn anh sẽ giữ lấy Còn khi em lùi bước thì anh sẽ tiến lên Chúng ta sẽ làm từ tốn, nhịp nhàng Và trưởng thành cùng nhau Trưởng thành cùng nhau, em ơi. Ta hãy trưởng thành cùng nhau. Hãy cùng nhau trưởng thành. Anh không biết tương lai ta sẽ đi về đâu Cũng không thể hứa hẹn được điều gì, định mệnh là vô thường Nhưng anh tin rằng khi tới đích Ta sẽ cảm thấy quả thực tốt hơn nhiều Khi chúng ta đã chín chắn cùng nhau [Chorus] Hãy nói với anh, em đừng bỏ đi nữa Vì nếu đổi thay là điều em cần Em vẫn có thể thay đổi ngay bên cạnh anh mà Em cứ tươi vui, nỗi buồn anh sẽ giữ lấy Còn khi em lùi bước thì anh sẽ tiến lên Chúng ta sẽ làm từ tốn, nhịp nhàng Và trưởng thành cùng nhau Trưởng thành cùng nhau, em ơi. Ta hãy trưởng thành cùng nhau. Hãy cùng nhau trưởng thành, em nhé.

Recently, I needed to sell an old camera lens online. One day after posting the announcement, I was very glad that there was already someone who wants to buy it. Not only am I happy for having a buyer so soon, but I really hope to sell it quickly and move on to other things (note that I don't need to sell it urgently, I just want to make the process quick and simple). The evening of the same day, I continued reading the book "A Life of Negotiation (Original title: Một đời thương thuyết)" by Phan Van Truong as usual and found that the case I had just encountered and the story told in the book were too similar, so I shared it here. On the occasion of an exciting day, the instant meet of theories through books and practice through life. The book says something like this: if you refuse, say it straight away, and if you agree, don't rush to answer ok and should include conditions (chapter 11). Going back to the my lens sale, with the excitement of having the first and quick buyer, I was ready to sell it immediately, but the attitude of the buyer is so important that I'm no longer eager to sell it to him. His first and the only condition is a reduction of 20 euros, from 80 to 60. For me, losing this amount of money will not make me poor, but unfortunately the reason he bargains was not reasonable. He needs to buy an adapter ring to use my lens on his camera. EH?! That's his problem. It has nothing to do with the value of the product or my common understanding, but he dares to ask for it. The common reason for being a student on a tight budget is much more reasonable and easier to accept than his reason. So I lost the will of selling. Seeing that he seemed demanding, even felt like winning on a bargain is more important to him, I reacted just the same way as he did. I looked for a middle point to see if this guy had good intentions. : 70 euros instead, meaning a decrease of 10 from my expectation and an increase of 10 from his. That's quite fair though, but no, he doesn't accept it, so I won't bother bargaining any more. I just quit selling. Later, I realized my decision was very correct. Finally, he didn't forget to add an assuring sentence that if I change my mind (ie accepting a 20 euros discount as he offered), he will always be interested as he still needed to buy it. Saying so is like being dictatorial, not listening to the needs of the seller. Plus the fact that he didn't even bother to say a polite greeting at the beginning of the conversation (in French, not saying Bonjour to start a conversation is similar to not saying "Hello" in English), I give it a pass. When I read the book, what happened is exactly what the book refers, from the negotiation method to the speaking attitude, cultural context, language and commercial field. Even though it's a small thing, we have to learn it. Be good at each small step to do great things, right?!

My Daily story #2 The other day, I met a French man in his 25s who asked about my photography.  "Are you a photographer?" - his question opens the story that I'm telling you here. I replied yes, along with a short explanation about my personal story of starting shooting as a hobby, later on it became a passion and serious profession. He didn't seem to understand very well my response (or probably didn't want to listen to?!), he continued to ask: "So you are professional, right? You have a big camera..?".  I smiled a bit awkwardly because I didn't like to associate the image of a 'big, fancy camera' with 'professional' term or an instant definition of the profession deriving from the tool present in that profession. I briefly explained my point of view, that not everyone who holds a big camera can be called a photographer, and professionalism also depends on the level of commitment of the person to all related activities in the domain. My shooting started as a hobby, then grew into a passion. I was so fascinated because I felt like I always have the potential to do more than just taking random photos when I'm in the mood or do it just for myself and friends. I switched to professional mode, creating a website and accepting clients... to go further, learn more, and share the joy of making beautiful photos with many others, which I think is interesting and worth experiencing. Fig 1: Despite my limited gear (Canon 700D + third party lens 70-300mm), I can still manage to get close to the bird and get a sufficiant sharpness either in flying or stationary shots. I even made use of crop sensor characteristics to extend the focal length to maximum 480mm (1.6x300mm). My output photos, below and right, compared to ones of a fellow photographer went with me that day, top and left (Canon 1D X Mark II, lens EF 600mm with 1.4x extender). That was at least the goals I was aiming for, but the initial reason was still the thing that those who do photography seriously and who are passionate are often afraid of: equipment is expensive and costly to buy 😆. I've observed that only few people could be able to live off of photography as a main job and certainly not right from the first shot!! I however had the advantage that initially I had support from my family to buy my first camera and later it was my main research job to support my photography hobby while I was exploring and growing up with it. Besides, I knew very well my situattion as 'a poor family, have to do a lot of savings, and take small steps to reach any bigger goals' so I have never been in a hurry to buy the highest quality, most modern equipment. It turned out that's good for me. The difficult situation forced me to use my camera carefully, take full advantage of its capabilities and push it to the limit before switching to a new generation that is more suitable for skills I already have and new ones I wish to practice.  Such historical circumstances gave me the opportunity to practice not only skills but also good manners, knowing how to be flexible according to specific circumstances, being patient for the next sustainable change, and knowing how to appreciate what I currently have.  I'm grateful for the days I spent reading all and over and over again the camera's user manual when I needed to look up any info or answers to my problems. Those hundreds of pages helped me have a very solid technical foundation about my camera (together with scientific knowledge about electronics, information technology, light physics, human eye biology, etc. that I learn from university and throughout lifetime, I am very free on my path of photographic creation).  I may not know all the cutting-edge technology or techniques, but to produce the same stunningly good looking results as other people do, I know clearly how to do the same with my humble sweet camera. You use a camera long enough and its weaknesses will disappear.  Most camera limitations can be compensated for by user's skills. The popularization of photography thanks to smartphone cameras, of photographers and their work, and of professional cameras has made it easy for everyone to experience and create their own photography.  That ease is also often turned into the public's lossen interest and appreciation of the efforts of the person who created artwork.  Though this is also an inevitable consequence of the modernization process, it can be a challenge to the definition of photographers in modern life.  Here I'm only talking about the equipment-skills relationship, there is another important aspect of creativity and the ability to realize ideas that will be the deciding factor that makes the difference between 'hobbyists' and 'professionals'.  We'll have another time to discuss this topic.

Reup. Published on August 8th, 2018 (English version) Today, I met Ms. Sylvia as usual, not at Urban Station (a coffee shop) but a new opening shop on CMT8 street, belonged to the Coffee House chain (this is also the name of the shop). Both of the brand names are from Vietnamese company. I came there 10 minutes earlier than she did. I had a brief talk with her while waiting for another person to come and join our chat group. I started with a aimless question: "Have you ever gone to this shop?", but I received her answer which was not aimless at all. This is the first time she came here, but she has visited another brand in a different location, District 1. A reason for her to come here is because of the good quality of coffee (of couse, we all do), but that is not the only one. She doesn't choose the famous ones that Vietnamese usually come to (for example, Starbucks, or generally consider other chains of eating restaurants like KFC, MacDonald) because she wants to support local business. (Wow! I admiringly gaped at her) Then, she gave more details to support that purpose. When she comes to drink, her money contributes to the profit of the owner, and then the owner uses that money to invest further and expand the business at here, which brings benefits to the economy of the local area, or at least the flow of money remains in the regions of Vietnam. In consideration of Starbucks, this is a multinational company having a huge number of stores around the globe, nation to nation, and its profit goes  out of the boundary of Vietnam, to stockholders of the company. Only a small of it comes back to Vietnam for further investment. Eventually, the fact that a part of Vietnam's money affacts the economy of the country. Meanwhile, though both of the companies (generally, global and domestic companies) help create jobs and contribute its tax to the government, all of the money the domestic company earns stay in the country, while the money people buy Starbucks' coffee is lost to the foreigners' hands, which leads to the reduction in total amount of money that Vietnam holds. (It happens the same with the case when we sell our natural resources to foreign partners.) Besides, Vietnamese companies also face more difficulties in managing small funds and the possibility of slowly getting back the paid-in capital. To multinational companies, if they are forced to close all the shops in Vietnam because of bad business, it of couse will effect their revenue, but it also can't simply lead them to bankrupt for a reasone that they may have got their paid-in capital in those years doing business in their country. Thereby, now they are making more profits and having a lot of ways to compensate for unprofitable business in Vietnam, one of the markets they have been investing in. Well, when looking back to ourselves, we can see how most of the Vietnamese consumers, especially the young, spend their money in a different way. They are likely to follow any trends that are popular and seemingly cool, like trying every new store which is recently opening, choosing well-known shops that everyone has visited but not him/her, or going to big and impressive shops just to show how cool and high-level they are. I never heard that someone wants to buy Vietnamese products (drinking a cup of coffee, in specifically) in order to support the local companies, or goes further with a "?" ideal that helps keep Vietnamese money remaining in this country. I'm an purely engineer, so I, at least for now, may not know the details on how money is made and put in circulation in our society. However, I know, for sure, the government can't print money as much as it wants, but it has to follow rules and laws which are agreed by nations to ensure the equality and transparency of money circulation between nations are fully enforced (if it's not done well, the inflation is the next step to deal with). Back to the case of Vietnam, the country owns a limited amount of money (not as much as most people think), so if that amount can't be made up for by foreign currency earnings from export operations, the fact that we keep losing our money the hands of multinational companies like Starbucks will lead Vietnam's ecomony to being nearly exhausted, and even in debt. A good lesson from a foreigner's opinion.

When I was little, he often brought home food that he bought on the way from work. There were things I like and don't, and above all they were usually not what I asked for. Sometimes are fried bananas (chuối chiên), other times are steamed cassavas (khoai mì hấp), even lottery tickets (vé số) - sold by the poor, so on. There are times I thought that he wasted money for us (my bro and I) too much that it went unnecessarily. He never said why he bought these food, just that "It looks good and is for you to taste it." when I wondered. . Until one day, on the back seat of his motobike going back home from school, I saw him pulling over to buy some fried sweet potatoes sold by a street vendor, and heard his mumbling talking to himself: "oh there are still a lot. Must be less buyers today !". From that day, I never asked him again the reason. . My dad may be not the greatest man in the world who owns stunning achievements and remarkable stories; however, with little nice things he did in his capability, he is definitely the one in my world ! This probably is enought to have his name written in the history, and I would be more than honor to write it down, and carve it in my memory. Love you, dad <3.

What I am going to tell you here is a true story from my recent experience. I’ll make it short just to show the main points and come quickly to the conclusion without mentioning all details that unnecessarily need further explications. The story has come to an end so it is meant to be an inspiring message rather than a topic to debate (but I’m always open for it if you want to argue with critical points). I left my old appartment that I’d lived for 3 years on the last day of February, 2021. The manager of the student residence (run by a private company) came to check the room state, and he noted on the state of affairs (l’état des lieux de sortie) that there were some traces in the microwave and a broken hinge of the fridge door. He said the only concern was to replace the fridge with a new one but they (the company) would see the real cost in 1 month, when they would send me the final calculation of costs and deposit. One month later, I was shocked to know that they billed me a new fridge with its shipping cost, and even more, a new microwave with also its shipping cost (Pic. 1). Problems are: 1. Agree that the fridge was damaged (not broken ! It worked fine with the broken hinge.), but the fact that they made the decision without noticing me in advance is kind of forcing. And, they wanted me to pay all related costs (shipping). 2. The microwave is marked as stained to clean but they forced me to buy a new one and plus, pay its shipping cost. 3. There are some other costs relating to linens and furniture that need only some cleaning (I did cleaning to return them to their initial states when I moved in) but again, they charged me for all remplacements. The total amount of charge wasn’t incredibly huge but it was annoyingly unreasonable. This is why I decided to send them a complaint letter to set another deal: I would pay only half of the fridge cost and not the microwave (few hundreds of euros in total, which is the most costly part), with a hope that they would listen and try to work out on this dispute. Otherwise, I would bring this to a court (with the French public agency ADIL - L’Agence Départementale d’Information sur le Logement, and civil court if needed). They didn’t reply my first email in May, but a letter that I sent by post as the last warning before bringing it to the court, 3 weeks after sending (with a confirmation). They partly agreed to what I proposed, that I still need to pay for the microwave, but these costs are divided by a half, and promised in advance that a cheque will arrive in the next several days (Pic. 2). However, things didn’t end here yet. I needed to send them another letter of reminder after waiting for 1.5 month without seeing the cheque. Until then, they replied me quickly (by email) and made a precise promise that the cheque would come on xxth (the exact date) of August, 2021. Finally, the weekend of that due day, the cheque has come (Pic. 3). Case closed ! This achievement would not have come if I had not had supports from my beloved Laurent. He was with me since the beginning and I have learned: 1. That I should fight for it so that big companies won’t usually make use of “small” people or foreigners who may lack of certain understanding on this thing or tend to be easy going with this kind of dispute. 2. That the company partly agrees to my proposal proves that their act wasn’t legally right at first, that I had the proper reason according to laws (I checked with ADIL, while the company checked with law articles) in order to avoid the abuse of housing deposit. 3. That my voice should be backed up with proper French writing and enough information to make my point clear and strong. This result is not really a big victory in life but it has an impact on my way of thinking. I love this saying: “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.” - Martin Luther King Jr.